How to Migrate from SQLServer to Oracle in PostgreSQL

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How do I migrate a SQL Server database to Oracle without losing data?

Move schema objects, data, and code from Microsoft SQL Server to Oracle with minimal downtime.

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Description

Table of Contents

Why migrate from SQLServer to Oracle?

Oracle offers advanced partitioning, RAC clustering, and tighter integration with enterprise tooling. Teams needing high availability or vendor consolidation often migrate to Oracle.

What pre-migration checks are required?

Confirm version compatibility, validate character sets, list SQL Server features not supported in Oracle (e.g., IDENTITY, T-SQL specific functions), and estimate downtime for cut-over.

How do you convert schema definitions?

Generate DDL from SQL Server

Use sqlpackage or SSMS “Generate Scripts” to export CREATE TABLE, indexes, and constraints.

Adjust data types for Oracle

Map INTNUMBER(10), DATETIMETIMESTAMP, NVARCHAR(MAX)CLOB. Replace IDENTITY with SEQUENCE + TRIGGER.

How do you move data quickly?

Oracle SQL Developer Migration Workbench

Create a new migration project, connect to SQL Server via JDBC, auto-convert objects, and push data in parallel.

Database Link + INSERT AS SELECT

After creating an Oracle DATABASE LINK to SQL Server via heterogeneous gateway, run INSERT /*+APPEND*/ INTO target SELECT * FROM source@dblink.

What is the full migration syntax?

See the next section for copy-and-paste commands.

Example migration of ecommerce tables

The following script shows schema conversion and data load for Customers, Orders, and related tables.

Best practices to avoid downtime?

Enable supplemental logging on SQL Server, use Oracle GoldenGate for CDC, run sanity checks, and schedule a read-only window for the final delta sync.

Common mistakes to avoid?

Skipping data type audits and ignoring collation differences cause silent truncation. See details below.

Frequently asked questions

Why How to Migrate from SQLServer to Oracle in PostgreSQL is important

How to Migrate from SQLServer to Oracle in PostgreSQL Example Usage


-- Migrate Orders and related OrderItems
CREATE SEQUENCE seq_orders START WITH 2000;
CREATE TABLE Orders (
  id NUMBER(10) PRIMARY KEY,
  customer_id NUMBER(10) REFERENCES Customers(id),
  order_date  DATE,
  total_amount NUMBER(12,2)
);

INSERT /*+APPEND*/ INTO Orders(id, customer_id, order_date, total_amount)
SELECT id, customer_id, order_date, total_amount FROM dbo.Orders@sqlsrv_link;

CREATE SEQUENCE seq_order_items START WITH 5000;
CREATE TABLE OrderItems (
  id NUMBER(10) PRIMARY KEY,
  order_id  NUMBER(10) REFERENCES Orders(id),
  product_id NUMBER(10),
  quantity  NUMBER(5)
);

INSERT /*+APPEND*/ INTO OrderItems(id, order_id, product_id, quantity)
SELECT id, order_id, product_id, quantity FROM dbo.OrderItems@sqlsrv_link;

How to Migrate from SQLServer to Oracle in PostgreSQL Syntax


-- 1. Create Oracle sequences to replace IDENTITY
CREATE SEQUENCE seq_customers START WITH 1000;

-- 2. Re-create table with Oracle types
CREATE TABLE Customers (
  id         NUMBER(10) PRIMARY KEY,
  name       VARCHAR2(255),
  email      VARCHAR2(320) UNIQUE,
  created_at TIMESTAMP DEFAULT CURRENT_TIMESTAMP
);

-- 3. Auto-populate PK
CREATE OR REPLACE TRIGGER trg_customers_pk
BEFORE INSERT ON Customers
FOR EACH ROW
WHEN (NEW.id IS NULL)
BEGIN
  SELECT seq_customers.NEXTVAL INTO :NEW.id FROM dual;
END;
/

-- 4. Database link via heterogeneous gateway
CREATE DATABASE LINK sqlsrv_link CONNECT TO "sa" IDENTIFIED BY "pwd"
USING '(DESCRIPTION=(ADDRESS=(PROTOCOL=tcp)(HOST=sqlsrv)(PORT=1433))(CONNECT_DATA=(SID=SQLSVR)))';

-- 5. One-time bulk load
INSERT /*+APPEND*/ INTO Customers(id, name, email, created_at)
SELECT id, name, email, created_at FROM dbo.Customers@sqlsrv_link;

-- 6. Validate counts
SELECT COUNT(*) FROM Customers;

Common Mistakes

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Can I keep SQL Server online during migration?

Yes. Use Oracle GoldenGate or SQL Developer’s online capture to replicate ongoing changes until cut-over.

Does Oracle support T-SQL?

No. Rewrite or auto-convert T-SQL procedures to PL/SQL using SQL Developer migration assistant.

What tools are free?

Oracle SQL Developer and Oracle Database Gateway for ODBC are both free and cover most small-to-medium migrations.

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